Shiftable ball rolling board and control therefor



Nov. 10, 1953 G. R. BENAK SHIFTABLE BALL ROLLING BOARD AND CONTROL THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1947 jzde/zr Geog-93?? 51 /2425 G. R. BENAK Nov. 10, 1953 SHIFTABLE BALL ROLLING BOARD AND CONTROL THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1947 Ede/Z257 Geoiyeji ACTIVATFZR G. R. BENAK Nov. 10, 1953 SHIFTABLE BALL ROLLING BOARD AND CONTROL THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed OCt. 16, 1947 Nov. 10, 1953 G. R. BENAK 2,658,755

SHIFTABLE BALL ROLLING BOARD AND CONTROL THEREFOR Filed Oct. 16, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 10, 1953 OF F ICE- SHIFTABLE BALL ROLLING BOARD AND CONTROL THEREFOR George R. Benak, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 16, 1947, Serial No. 780,288

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to ball rolling games and like amusement apparatus usually, butnot necessarily, adapted for coin-controlled operation.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision, in such a game, of a movable ball field on which a projected or played ball gravitates or moves, and which ball field can be moved under control of the player for the purpose of deliberately altering the motion of the played ball to accomplish a desired travel of the same for scoring purposes.

Viewed from another aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide a ball game having a normally inclined and stationary ball playing field, a projector operable by the player to shoot a ball onto said field to travel thereover by gravitation, its initial projecting velocity, or a combination of these and other forces, with the object of getting the ball to hit some scoring element in or on the field, for example a bumper or an exit opening; and it is a further object to include in combination with the foregoing conventional ball game elements, means mounting said playing field for movement within its cabinet, and means either electrical, or mechanical, for moving the playing field to alter the direction, force, or trajectory of the ball at the will of the player.

Another object is the provision, in a game of,

the class described, of means for permitting a player to alter thetravel of a projected ball skillfully and at will without shaking, pounding, tilting or otherwise abusing the game cabinet, the invention providing for a movable ball panel within the cabinet, and mechanism operatedat will or automatically or both, for causing the ball panel to move for the purpose of modifying the initially imparted movement of the ball, thereby avoiding injury to the game mechanisms and at the same time affording additional skill tests and control and action effects for the players.

Additional objects and aspects of utility and novelty pertain to details of the illustrative embodiment described hereinafter in view of the annexed drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of a ball "rollinggame equipped with the novel, shiftable playing field;

'Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section of the game through the shiftable playing field;

Fig. 3 showing one of the scoring switches;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the playing field or panel showing the electromagnetic form of shifting means;

Fig. 5 is a circuit. diagram with the playing panel viewed from the bottom, i. e. upside down;

is an enlarged vertical sectional detail Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the panel of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective of the mechanical panel shifting mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of a modified, longitudinally rockable panel;

Fig. 10 is a perspective of a modified, laterally rockable panel.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention is described in conjunction with a well-known type of ball rolling game which includes a cabinet ID, a ball shooter or projector II, a device l2 for elevating balls one at a time into shooting position, and a coin slide l3 for releasing a given number of balls for elevation and play.

In the conventional game, the player inserts a coin in slide l3, pushes plunger Hi to elevate a ball, and retracts and releases the shooting plunger H to project the ball along guideway I4 with whatever skill and force the objective calls for, with the object of getting the projected ball to engage one of the scoring elements, such as the exit opening I6, a bumper I! or the roll-over switch 18, all on the playing field or panel 20.

In the prior devices of this class, the panel 2%) has been fixed and stationary, although often there is associated with such a fixed panel, a subpanel which is slidable for the purpose of holding or freeing (depending upon the position to which it is moved) balls trapped in exit pockets such as opening I6; this type of holding and releasing panel, also well-known in the art as a shufile panel, is not to be confused with the novel shiftable skill panel of this disclosure.

As in Figs. 1 and 2, the game cabinet is usually provided with legs 19 and a glass panel 2|; the legs raise the cabinet to convenient playing elevation, and in the past have made it particularly convenient and inviting for the player to rock and shake the cabinet (although this done on flat-mounting, counter type games, too) with the object of altering the course of the ball, which the player cannot otherwise affect becauseof the glass panel. All manner of cheating and interference with the normal operation of the game .mechanism has resulted from this practice on abilityof the ball panel, the invention provides metal plates or tracks 25 on the underside of the panel in quadrangular array at the panel edges,

and these tracks rest upon ball-bearing rollers 26 affixed to the inner walls of the cabinet.

The panel is normalized by a spring 21, Figs. 2,

and 4, bearing against the inside back cabinet wall atone end, and against a bracket 28 on the undersideof the panel at the other end,

Means for shifting or'activating the ball panel includes, Fig. 4, .an electromagnet 30 having plunger 3] connectedby link 32 =with;rod 33 which is fixed at angled end 34 to the inside back wall of the cabinet; thus, when the'electromagnet or solenoid 30 is energized, being fixed on the bottom of the panel, it moves in the direction of the relatively stationary plunger 3|, thus shifting the panel in a direction to compress spring 21, and the solenoid circuit is thereupon automatically broken by normally closed breaker switch 38,, in series with its energizing switch, the breaker switch being carried with the panel until the offset extension 33A engages the offset 33A of the rod .33, When the activating circuit is thus broken, spring 27 returns the panel to normalized position. The foregoing panel movements are abrupt and of anature toeliecta reactive motion of a ball thereupon, whether the ballbe in motion or not.

.In Fig. is shown a circuit which may .be used with the electromagnetic form of the invention, according to which one side of the breakerswitch 38 is grounded at 43, and the other terminal is connected by conductor 4.! to one terminal of .the eleotromagnet or solenoid 3B, the remainingtermina'l of the latter being connected .by-conduc'tor 42 to one terminal '43 of .a player-control switch 35, the remaining terminal at of which connects to one side of thepower source or battery 45, the other side of which connects to ground 40'. Since breaker switch 31B. is normally closed,.closure of control switch 35, as by the player pushing button (Fig. 1 also) completes an energizing circuit for solenoid 30, causing an abrupt shifting or activation of the panel as heretofore described, until switchtfi is carried against offset 331L110 open said switch vquicklyandcause the panel to be abruptly restored to normal position by spring 2 3.

, An added feature, where desired, is connection of a scoring instrumentality, such .as .ball rollover switch LIB, to connect operating .power or battery 4-37 to conductor 42, thereby activating the panel as a resultof a movementoi the ball, as distinguishedfrcmplayer control.

In the modification of Fig. 7, the ball panel A is mounted .on rollers toshift, as in the first embodiment, and spring 27A loads or hermalizes the panel as before; however, instead of an electrically controlled and actuated shifter, mechanical means is provided to afiord some measure of skillful control of the activation of the panel bythe player. 7

The manual means of Fig.8 includes a bracket 55 mounted on the inside frontcabinet wall,.as inFig. .6 or .7; journaled in offset ends 51 of this bracket is a rocker rod 52 oneend of which projects through theadjacen-t side wall of'the cabinet to carry fixed thereon :at its outside end a handle 53. a

7 .Loose on rod 52 is a pawl 55 having upper en I 56 engageable .with the front edge of ballpanel 253A, the lower portion-of the pawl including integral wing portions-51:engageable with the face of an angle plate 58 fixed by screws ".59 on rod 52.

.Aspring BE! has oneend fixed-on pin iii on a side of angle plate 58, while theother end of this spring is anchored on lug '62 :of the pawl; thus,

' when thehandle :53 is .turned clockwise inFi-g. 8,

rod 52 turns accordingly carrying with'iit angle platetfi, and spring (it pullspa-wl "55 with it, thus shifting the ball panel toward the right. Shock due to violent and abusive .manipulation'of handle 53 is taken .up by spring 260, and the latter holds the pawl wing portions 51, close against the angle plate, so that anticlockwise movements of the handle =53 permit the ,pawl to be returned toward normal with any degree of delicacy of manipulation the player is able to efiect; this manual embodiment of the invention distinguishes from the electromagnetic variety in the possibility of exercising skill in the activation of the-:ballpanel or, playing field.

In addition to substantially eliminating the troubles resulting from tilting and shaking of the game cabinet "and apparatus by the players, the .noyelzactivating means affords new player appeal to these ball games. This movement or activation of .the .playfield as an entirety to efiect a supplemental or supervisory motion of the "ball, as distinguished .irom a mere random or novelty motion is not to "be confused with prior arrangementsin ball games for spinninga wheel relative to which the ball is projected, whether such wheel forms Ipart'of .a playing field or is mountedabove the plane of the field, because, among other things, these spinning .or rotatable devices donot permit the player a .choice in timing or selection in shifting'the playfield to alter the travel of some particular ball at some particular time w'ithreard to some particular target or objective.

It is contemplated that a variant .form of the game combines .the electromagnetic shifting means ;of .Figs. 1 through .5 with the manually actuated panel shifting means ofIigs. 6 through 8; this gives an added player appeal where the ball roll-over switch .is connected as .in the .circuit ofFig. .5 for automatic shifting of the panel to .giye a surprise action in the course of the game, especially in those games aifording a ,plurality of balls, say dive, for eachcoin deposited.

It should also be understood that where both the manual and electromagnetic shifting means are provided, that the former is very abrupt,by design, because the breaker switch opens very quickly -after the ,panel has begun .to move, and

in this sense, whether the electromagnetic shift ing be effected by .a ball switch or the manual switch, the reciprocatory displacement of the panel is sudden, whereas with the manual shifting leverage, the displacement is controllableat the will .of the player from a very slight or .very slowmovement :to a movement as nearly like the electromagnetically effected motion as the playerfsskill-can command. V i

The conventional ball game of the class to Whichthis invention appertains has its .ball panel mounted approximately in a horizontal plane, usually tilted just enough to cause any :dead balls (i. e. balls vnearly at rest) .to roll-down towardfan exit opening at the front of the panel vfor return to the projecting means. However, no limitations in this, or other respects, .are intended by any detailed specification hereinexceptingasmay be provided-intheappendedclaims.

' In :Fig. 9 there is shown a modified iorm of panel mount and actuating means, wherein :a

panel is .is supported for opposite rocking'moyenorm-ally maintain the panel in :rest position,

and solenoid plungers 5M and 35, respectively linked-to the panel 'on' opposite sides .of its rocking-axis, i. e. jpin H, can lie-respectively at- In the latter arrangement, one'term-inalofeach winding MA and 15A connects through corresponding breaker switches 14B and 153, both normally closed, to common terminal 76 of a power source 17 having its other terminal grounded at 18.

The remaining terminal of each solenoid winding connects, respectively, with a contact 19 or 80 of an operating switch having cooperative contacts 19' and 80 connected to ground '18.

Thus, actuation of switch handle 8| in either of the two directions indicated will close contacts IS-.19 or 8080', and accordingly will energize winding 14A or 15A; in the former case, the panel 10 will rock counterclockwise; in the latter case, the panel will rock clockwise. Breaker switches 14B, 15B, are opened by the corresponding solenoid plungers in rocking the panel to deenergize the solenoids respectively, to effect abrupt return of the panel by springs '13.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modified panel mount in which the panel 90 is rockably mounted for movement about a lateral axis through pins 9| seated in cabinet wall brackets 92, springs 93 maintaining or normalizing the panel in a desired position of rest, and solenoid plunger 94 pulled downward by winding 95, when energized, through link 96 to the panel, depressing or tilting the panel to affect the travel of the ball.

The embodiment of Fig. 10 is actuated by the players closure of switch contacts 91 thereby completing circuit from ground 98 via conductor 99, normally closed breaker contacts 100, and winding 95 to ground 98 through power source I01. In this form of the device, the pivotal axis through pins 9| may be either at the top or bottom of the play board. Stop bracket I02 limits the return motion of the panel by springs 93, which return occurs when the solenoid plunger 94 opens breaker switch I00.

It is contemplated that manual means, as distinguished from electromagnetic means, as in the embodiment of Fig. 7, for example, may be used in place of or with the shifting or activating means of Figs. 9 and 10; and further, that optionally operable manual switch means may be used with automatic, ball-operated switch means, as in Fig. 5, for the embodiments of Figs. 9 and 10.

The appended claims are not intended to be descriptively duplicative of the foregoing specification, but, are intended to particularly point out and claim the parts and combinations claimed as the invention as required by R. S. 4888.

I claim:

1. In an amusement game of the type including a support with a relatively movable ball-rolling board with ball objectives thereon, improvements comprising, to wit: electromagnetic means operable to move said board to affect or effect motion of a ball thereon for the purpose of influencing the movement of such ball relative to a said objective or effecting a modified travel of a ball thereon; a circuit for energizing said electromagnetic means; and an operating switch in said circuit and including an operating part therefor cooperably associated with a said ball objective to be moved by a ball scoring on such objective to actuate said switch and cause a movement of said board by said electromagnetic means for the purpose set forth.

2. In a ball game apparatus, a shiftable ballrolling panel including scoring means thereon at which a ball is to be directed; means for rolling a ball onto said panel; electromagnetic mechanism for shifting said panel to alter the travel of a ball thereon; a switch and circuit means controlled thereby for operating said electromagnetic mechanism; and actuating means for said switch and including a, member exposed for engagement by a ball moving on said panel.

3. In a game apparatus, a ball-rolling panel including ball-scoring objective means and mounted to shift for the purpose of affecting the motion of a ball thereon relative to said objective means; protective enclosure means for said panel preventing access thereto by the player, but including a transparent portion for viewing the panel; player-controlled means for launching a ball to roll on said panel; electrically-controlled mechanism operable to shift said panel for the purpose aforesaid; a control circuit for said electrically controlled mechanism; switch means connected in said circuit for operation to actuate said mechanism; and switch-operating means situated in said game apparatus for engagement and operation by a ball on said panel and by a player of the game.

4. In a ball rolling game of the class described, a ball panel, a support including means mounting said panel for bodily movement from a normal position, spring means urging said panel into said normal position, a ball target on said panel, means for shooting a ball onto said panel, elec tromagnetic means for shifting said panel from normal position, a circuit including an operating switch means for energizing said electromagnetic means, and a breaker switch actuated by means moved responsive to movement of said panel a predetermined amount from normal position by said electromagnetic means for opening said cirsuit to deenergize said electromagnetic means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said operating switch means is situated in said game for access by the player to be manually actuated.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said operating switch means includes an operating part associated with said target and operated by a ball on said panel.

'7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said operating switch means is both manually and ball-operated, and includes a switch situated in said game for access by the player to be manually actuated; and another switch having an operating part associated with said target and operated by a ball on said panel.

GEORGE R. BENAK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,364,632 Harrington Jan. 4, 1921 2,010,266 Kemper et al. Aug. 6, 1935 2,134,185 Hansen Oct. 25, 1938 2,184,867 Williams et a1 Dec. 26, 1939 2,200,190 Plouvier May 7, 1940 2,300,328 Wilsey Oct. 27, 1942 2,317,506 Williams et al. Apr. 27, 1943 2,423,725 Poole July 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,495 Great Britain 1900 416,709 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1934 421,190 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1934 450,096 Great Britain July 9, 1935 

